


One beer too many

by Nickie



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Fluff, Hwang Hyunjin Being an Asshole, Idiots in Love, Kinda, M/M, Mentions of underage drinking, Pining, if you squint your eyes you can see some minsung
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-21
Updated: 2020-08-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:22:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26029399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nickie/pseuds/Nickie
Summary: It was a moment of weakness and one beer too many that put Changbin in this particular situation. If he just hadn’t gone to that party, hadn’t taken a seat across the tv with the karaoke lyrics playing on the screen, hadn’t watched Felix pouring his soul out in an over-the-top performance and, most importantly, hadn’t sat down next to no one else but Hyunjin, none of this would have happened.
Relationships: Lee Felix/Seo Changbin
Comments: 3
Kudos: 72





	One beer too many

**Author's Note:**

> it's the first time i'm writing changlix and i feel like the pacing is all over the place but i still hope you'll like it!

It was a moment of weakness and one beer too many that put Changbin in this particular situation. If he just hadn’t gone to that party, hadn’t taken a seat across the tv with the karaoke lyrics playing on the screen, hadn’t watched Felix pouring his soul out in an over-the-top performance and, most importantly, hadn’t sat down next to no one else but Hyunjin, none of this would have happened.

But Felix looked so beautiful this particular night, with his hair swiped up messily, freckled cheeks dusted with pink from alcohol and singing, the twinkle in his eyes even brighter than ever. Changbin threw his head back for a big chug-a-lug as Hyunjin eyed him curiously. And he was right there, ready to listen to whatever Changbin had to say, and for that ridiculous reason Changbin decided to just blurt out to his friend that he had a crush on Felix.

Don’t get him wrong, Hyunjin wasn’t a bad friend. But unfortunately, he was a type of friend that would tease you to death about anything and everything. And when they met at school the next day, Changbin prayed to any deity listening that Hyunjin actually forgot about his confession. Maybe he drank more than Changbin and didn’t remember their conversation. Or deemed it not interesting enough to pay it any mind.

To Changbin’s demise, Hyunjin remembered.

And he didn’t let Changbin forget either.

So when Changbin saw Hyunjin near Felix, wearing that devilish little smirk of his, he nearly had a panic attack. There was no way his friend would out him like that, right? Even if the said friend was no one else than Hwang Hyunjin. I’m overreacting, Changbin chanted to himself like a mantra, but his palms were getting sweaty when Hyunjin glanced back at him before going back to his conversation with Felix.

“ Hey guys” Changbin was there in a second, smiling at Hyunjin through the pain, much to the other guy’s happiness. “What are you talking about?”

“ Hyunjin just told me about this new dance video on youtube” Felix’s tone was as bright as ever, a gentle smile on his lips when he looked at Changbin. “Wanna watch it with us?”

Changbin wished his glare could kill when he aimed it at Hyunjin in that moment.

Or any other given moment, because Hyunjin didn’t let him rest. It was a constant rollercoaster of emotions - whenever Changbin thought he could relax during a break, he caught a glimpse of Hyunjin dancing his way over to Felix while purposely looking Changbin’s way. And of course, Changbin pulled himself over and joined the two, only to hear Hyunjin say another one of his “Felix, did you know that Changbin…” with a nerve wracking pause, before ending it with some lame ass “failed a test” or “forgot to do homework. Again” (which wasn’t even true, Changbin did his best) only to stir him even more. Felix, as oblivious as he was, only laughed and continued on the conversation, when Changbin tried to lower his heart rate. Every damn time.

One day Chan invited them all for a sleepover, claiming that it’d been too long that they spent the night together, and Changbin didn’t feel like going. Sleepovers meant chatting, confessions and games and he wasn’t sure his heart could take any more of that. But Hyunjin’s eyes shined with newfound energy and there was no way Changbin didn’t go if Hyunjin did. What if he told everyone about his crush  _ behind his back _ . He wouldn’t even know if they appreciated it or not, he wouldn’t know how Felix reacted, hell, he wouldn’t be there to prevent this to begin with.

So he had to go. Luckily, it wasn’t as bad as he predicted it to be. They chatted while eating junk food, played some board games and jenga amidst laughter and screamings and when they all got too tired and mainly lied around the living room, Hyunjin pulled out a glass bottle and pressed it to the carpet in the middle of the room. Changbin groaned involuntarily and kicked Hyunjin’s thigh from the side but the others were already excited about the truth or dare game.

Every time it stopped on him, Changbin picked a dare. He’d eaten a lot of weird food combinations, did a headstand for two minutes, screamed “I love you” towards Chan’s neighbours, but it was way better than picking truth and having to answer any questions about his love life. He wasn’t even sure at this point if Hyunjin had told anyone else. As far as he knew, everyone in the room might have been aware of his crush on Felix but they just waited for the right moment to tease him about it as much as Hyunjin did.

The bottle stopped spinning and pointed at Felix this time, making the boy smile brightly in excitement. He was this eager about any type of game they were playing. As long as it included all of their friends, it was the best game in the world.

"Truth or dare!" Jisung screamed a bit too loudly, making Minho flinch next to his side. With a mumbled "sorry" he turned his attention right back to Felix, who gnawed on his lip for just a second before answering.

"Truth"

"Do you have a crush on someone?" Jisung was well prepared with a question and the whole room got silent. Changbin looked at Jisung incredulously, as if his friend was supposed to know that he had feelings for Felix, before his attention got back to the boy now staring at the bottle in his hands. He didn't glance up even once as the time seemed to move slower and slower.

"Yeah…" Felix mumbled finally and Jisung jumped up on his place, startling Minho once again. This time though, he slapped Han across the thigh.

"Who is it?" Jisung crawled a bit closer through the center of the circle and Felix withdrew visibly, still keeping his gaze down.

"That's another question, idiot!" Minho grabbed onto his ankle and pulled him back, but the questions started flowing from others anyway like a flood wave. Changbin never let his eyes wander off of Felix, his head one big mess. So Felix liked someone. Of course he did, Changbin chided himself mentally. However, even though he assumed Felix might have had a crush on someone, hearing it come out from his mouth was that much more crushing and Changbin's chest was only getting tighter and tighter with every next second spent in the room.

The others just wouldn't stop with the questions, shooting them one by one and waiting for Felix's reaction. When he finally moved, he looked up at Hyunjin who remained silently seated all this time, before he lowered his gaze once more. The others of course began to tease Felix about it, joking about his crush on Hyunjin, who on the other hand was eyeing Changbin to his left worriedly. Suddenly, he wasn't in the mood for teasing anymore, even though the opportunity was right there on a silver platter; but Changbin's hopeless expression as he studied the lines on his palms seemed to stop Hyunjin.

"I'll go for more chips" Changbin stood up amidst the chaos, barely noticeable when he grabbed the halfway empty bowl and left the room. Instead of the kitchen though, he aimed for the front door and stepped out into the chilly night with a deep breath in. It was like a cold slap, sobering him up and making the situation that much more clear to him.

Of course Felix wasn’t into him. If he could choose someone as pretty and funny as Hyunjin, why would he choose Changbin? The two really fit well together, with their bubbly personalities and love for dance. Hyunjin would definitely take good care of Felix.

With a groan, Changbin ran a hand through his hair and pulled at it slightly in his inner despair. This whole thing was a mess and he was only spiraling down the hole of self-hatred the more he thought of it. He heard someone stepping out and next to him and he didn’t have to raise his head to know exactly who it was.

“You know… It might be you he has a crush on. He didn’t say anything” Hyunjin started softly, as if afraid of Changbin’s outburst. The other guy just shot him a glare, eyes sharp and bloodshot from his inner turmoil.

“You don’t even believe that yourself” Changbin spat back, not meaning to be rude yet his emotions got the better of him. Sighing, he put his face back in his hands as Hyunjin scooted closer and put a comforting hand on his friend’s back. “Why the hell did I think I had any chance? I am so out of his league” Changbin opened up to Hyunjin once again, but this time the thought of using it later against his friend didn’t cross Hyunjin’s mind. Instead, he listened carefully and hoped his company served any kind of reassurance. “This is so stupid”

Changbin felt stupid. He spent so much time believing that maybe, just maybe, one day he would confess to Felix and he would like him back. Now, when the reality of it all hit him like a rock, Changbin’s mood dropped drastically and he would avoid his friends at school. There’s no helping for the longing glances he would sometimes throw Felix’s way, but after each of them his chest would tighten up and stomach tie into a knot. He liked Hyunjin. Not you, he repeated to himself over and over again.

He watched with painful curiosity when Hyunjin came up to Felix during a break, seeming very stern with whatever his deal was. Changbin tried really hard to focus on the textbook opened up on his knees but his eyes would jump up every so often anyway. Hyunjin’s stance was tense, as if he was ready to jump on Felix right then and there and the other boy must have felt that because he looked way smaller than usual, glancing around and avoiding Hyunjin’s eyes. Maybe it was the moment that Changbin feared the most all this time, when his friend would reveal his secret, and this time he didn’t care that much anymore. It would be awkward for a while, maybe Felix would avoid him for some time before apologising and telling him he didn’t reciprocate his feelings. It would hurt, yes, but Changbin had been getting himself ready mentally for a few days already. He could take a heartbreak. At least he believed he did.

Hyunjin let out a loud, exasperated “what?!” and Changbin tilted his head, along with some other students who looked towards the source of the shout curiously. Felix looked mortified with his ears red and held onto Hyunjin’s arm in a painful grip to try and silence him down. For a very tiny second, Changbin’s and Felix’s eyes met before the younger boy turned to Hyunjin again and sputtered something to him in quick words.

So Hyunjin really did tell him. Changbin sighed and focused on his textbook, trying to ignore the feeling in his chest. It was hard to explain - it felt like some force tied a knot around his ribcage and pulled on the strand every so often, making it tighter and tighter. If he had to compare it to anything, Changbin would say it felt like disappointment, but that much stronger in force. 

“Would you let go of my hand?” Changbin tried to wriggle his wrist out of Hyunjin’s steel hold, but the other boy didn’t even budge, instead tightening his grip. Changbin didn’t really feel like playing any games; he just wanted to go home, put some music on and loathe in self-despair in his bed. Hyunjin was stubbornly dragging him down the hallway and towards the back entrance though.

“You guys need to talk.  _ Now _ ” Hyunjin sounded tired and… annoyed? Changbin felt he should be the annoyed one. Hyunjin teased him for so long about revealing his secret and now that he possibly did, he was annoyed at Changbin?

They passed some students before Changbin noticed Felix and every muscle in his body tensed visibly.

“Wait-”

“There!” Hyunjin exclaimed victoriously, shoving Changbin towards a very confused Felix. “Finally talk, for god’s sake!” after throwing his hands up in the air dramatically, Hyunjin turned around and stomped away, still mumbling something to himself. Changbin and Felix stood there dumbfounded for a moment longer, staring at their friend’s retracting back before Changbin glanced at Felix.

“Do you know what it’s all about?” he asked, feigning ignorance, but deep inside he was terrified it had to do something with his confession. Felix looked just as uncomfortable, trying to mask it with a soft smile and a shake of his head.

“Not really… But since we’re here maybe we can eat together?”

Just now Changbin noticed a lunch box in Felix’s hands. Hyunjin’s lunch box, more specifically. When had he managed to give it to them? There were so many questions clouding Changbin’s head that he decided to ignore them for now; Hyunjin had always been a big mystery for him and it’s better not to dwell on the topic for too long. Besides, Felix was already going out the door so Changbin hopped next to him and they aimed for the school playground’s benches. It was quiet and awkward and Changbin felt his hands getting wet and clammy way too fast. He’d been around Felix so many times, even after he acknowledged his own crush on the boy, and yet he’d never felt as nervous as in this moment. It seemed Felix wasn’t any better though, with the way he kept stumbling on the pavement cracks.

“So” Changbin started conversationally when Felix opened the lunch box and popped one grape into his mouth. Had Hyunjin prepared it for them specifically? “You… You like Hyunjin, yeah?” eyes set downcast, Changbin finally asked the most important question. Felix smiled gently.

“Yeah! He’s weird sometimes but he’s my friend” soon, his brow creased in confusion. “Why are you asking?”

“No, not like that, the spinning bottle-” Changbin groaned in frustration and reached for a grape himself. Felix was way too oblivious sometimes. “The person you have a crush on. It’s Hyunjin, right?”

Felix’s eyes widened almost comically as he stared at Changbin with a mix of shock and disbelief.

“What?! No!” his face got redder and he waved his hands frantically in an overexaggerated act of denial.

“But when we played, you looked at him” when he said it aloud, Changbin realised how stupid it actually sounded. He opened his mouth to let Felix know about that but the younger boy was faster.

“It’s because” he took a breath in and looked at the green grape in his fingers. “He’s always around you”

Changbin was very confused. So he stayed quiet, letting Felix elaborate on that.

“You guys are always together. And I noticed when he talks to me you always come over and check up on us” Felix rubbed the back of his neck, still not moving his gaze away from the grape in his hand. “I was sure you guys…” Felix’s voice got smaller and smaller and Changbin felt like he was about to lose his mind. Him and Hyunjin? What was going on in Felix’s innocent brain?

“Hell no” Changbin spoke quickly with a grimace and Felix finally peeked up at him. “I wouldn’t wish that on my enemy” it made Felix chuckle and Changbin saw how his shoulders relaxed gradually. “If it’s not Hyunjin, then who is it?”

Felix gave Changbin a weird look, somewhere between pleading and embarrassed and Changbin forced the screws in his brain to go full speed. What Felix just told him, about Hyunjin and him… About him…

_ Oh. _

“Oh” Changbin voiced his surprise first before it clicked into place and he jumped off the bench suddenly. “Wait! So all this time- Ah!” he couldn’t believe he spent all this time letting Hyunjin tease him and worrying about his secret being revealed when Felix actually liked him. He really did like him. A big smile spread over Changbin’s face. The mix of emotions inside of him was making him dizzy but when Felix finally looked at him and smiled back, he felt like the happiest person on planet earth. It felt like a dream.

“So, Hyunjin…” it seemed Felix still wasn’t done with the topic and Changbin wanted to erase Hyunjin out of existence for a few minutes so Felix would focus on him and him only now when he knew there was a chance he actually liked him back.

“I wanted to make sure he didn’t tell you” Changbin’s eyebrows met in the middle in a shy expression. “Because I told him I liked you” Felix looked away but his smile got bigger. “And he kept teasing me”

In that moment, Felix burst out laughing and shook his head. Changbin chuckled as well - this whole situation got so complicated and blown out of proportion for no reason whatsoever. If they hadn’t been such secretive idiots, maybe they could have talked it out much earlier.

“That’s so dumb!” Felix exclaimed in between chuckles, showing his bubbly and explosive personality. It seemed like a good way to blow some steam off so Changbin turned up to the sky and screamed too.

“So dumb!”

Felix’s laughter died down slowly and Changbin just basked in every second of it while it lasted before they finally fully focused on each other. Changbin studied Felix’s features in the sun, from his shiny hair, over the freckles on his small nose, to his pouty lips, and he panicked it’s a dream in the end because there’s no way this beautiful human being in front of him could actually-

Small fingers wrapping around his wrist assured him that it’s, in fact, reality and Felix looked up at him with the softest look he’d ever seen. And it was directed at him only.

“Wanna go on a real date?” Changbin asked bravely and Felix raised an eyebrow.

“Without Hyunjin?”

Changbin laughed goodheartedly. “Without Hyunjin”

**Author's Note:**

> comments are always welcome ♥ you can find me on twitter [here](https://twitter.com/ficnicks), i need more stay friends :c


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